Darth Fluffy

So the rabbit was potentially airborne at the time. Jet engines have an awful lot of suction at the front end. If they are low, like many fighters, they can Hoover up more than just bunnies, including rocks and stray bolts. Cleaning the flight line of debris is critical. (A-10 has high up engines, I don't think it would have this particular problem.) I rarely needed to be around an active flight line, but I did participate in a radio test on an F-16. We had to take a safety course, one key component of which was, "If the engine is running, do not approach."

Speaking of chicken canons ...

Chickens seem ideal. A bit on the largish side of the range of birds, they should adequately simulate striking an albatross, or buzzard, or an eagle. You could use a pigeon, but they are more toward the middlin' part of the scale. It wouldn't be as thorough a test. Birds are rather lightly constructed, their bones are more of an open framework, less solid than land dwelling animals. Substituting rats and groundhogs would bias the test negative. Chickens, while not as prolific as said rodents, are prolific enough, are widely raised, and can be easily obtained. It is possible something else, say a carp, might have similar characteristics as a chicken; I doubt anyone has seriously looked in to this, so there's an opportunity. That said, carp seem to me to be more difficult to obtain and more expensive, and we already know the chickens work. Which leaves, a synthetic substitute. Maybe ballistics gel with embedded fibers and plastic 'bones'. PETA would be happy. I see problems with validating the artificial chicken object as being representative, and costing quite a bit more. Manufacturing quality might become a factor that has to be accounted for. Still, it seems doable. Except, the usage rate is low enough that I don't see a viable business model for the manufacturer, so you probably need to dedicate a technician to make them in house. At a guess, the study to specify the object has never been done, because chickens are already available, and no one is going to invest in the development. I wonder if they use the chicken afterward? I'm guessing no, it probably has bits of canopy plastic, and they may need to keep the remains as reference, and so refreeze it. Definitely not a silly thing, or they built it. It is after all a useful device. But it is odd; the first time you hear about it, you think your leg is being pulled. Few people have ever seen one. Thanks for asking, I enjoyed the thought exercise; as appropriate to the thread, it made me happy.

You have seen Monty Python and The Holy Grail, right? Cows instead of horses, but in the size range.

If I only wanted to simulate it, I'd develop a computer model. If I wanted to directly test it, I'd use a chicken cannon. Why do you ask?

I must have missed that episode. I heard (before Mythbusters was a thing) that the Brits asked to use it, and broke several windshields. Then it was explained to them, "Thaw first". I visited the the facility long ago. I don't recall why, likely a conference. I don't remember seeing the chicken cannon; if I did, it was not being operated that day.

I have a couple of bottles of self medication in the cupboard. Some Schwartzhog, some brandy, some peppermint schnapps ...

They were used to test windshields. Oh, wait, that was chickens.

I feel your pain.

Obviously, they were transferred to the Air Force.

Tropical trail mix. Has dried pineapple, dried mango, dried bananas (the bulk of the pack), dried coconut shreds, and some rather large, tasty raisins. Do grapes grow in the tropics? I think they might, seems like most countries have wine. A little weird, because some cold places like NY state have a lot of vineyards. Per Wiki, the range at least approaches tropical. Does not appear to be commonly grown on the equator.

I definitely would have, except I think it's come up too recently.

Comic for Wednesday January 12, 2022 I'm pretty sure I'm a minority, but I don't like where this went for Elliot. Being a vigilante is not generally a good thing. The problem is people with shoddy moral compasses cast themselves in the role, and rationalize how the insane crap they are doing is somehow justified for the greater good. And we happen to be just past the anniversary of the perfect illustration. Granted, every now and then you get a genuine hero willing to stand up for others in genuine peril. Elliot is genuinely starting from there. But he is a kid, portrayed as not having a deep grasp on social interaction, in this comic and in previous, to some extent in the entire run of the comic. I wonder if his folks didn't introduce him to martial arts primarily for the structure and rules.

Comic for Friday January 14, 2021 The two critic girls look kind of like early Peanuts characters Violet and Patty (not Peppermint Patty). It would be in character for them.

I know. That shoots the 'worse the pun, the more stars' theory.

No, sorry. It was in the mid 60s. I tossed mine long ago. I'd almost say regrettably, but I'm too much of a pack rat as it is, so I can't grieve over the times I've actually let go of stuff I didn't need.

Long ago, MAD Magazine did a several page cartoon on Shermy returning to visit the gang, and how much they had changed. The early characters were bland, did not have distinctive personalities. They generally acted like children. Even Snoopy acted much more like a dog. Sparky developed some of them, Charlie Brown in particular, added new ones with notable quirks, and let the others fade away. By the time I read it, in the early 60s, it was a different comic, and the characters' quirks were central to the comic.

This explains so much ...

Having been a child and seen how kids behave first hand, I have to agree with you.

"Tony is a bully" is evident. There does not seem to be disagreement about that. There is little information content in stating it. Background is interesting. Potential to change and develop is interesting. His backstory does not excuse his behavior can be an interesting statement. Dan has taken Diane, who was a negative character, and has spun her as a positive character. Could he do the same with Tony? Plausibly? I think it's easy to see that he could. I could be wrong. the room for variant opinions and discussion make it interesting. "the bully is presently a bully" - is there a goal related to this? Change him? Punish him? Ostracize him?

I'm afraid to click that link. The shark squirrel is bad enough.

NP Comic Thursday January 13, 2021 Let's hope that last panel is artistic license, not what Grace actually looks like. Although, that would account for Justin's reaction.

I've never been in one. I had to take my infant daughter for one, decades ago. We know about your cat scans, you post pictures of her all the time.

You are technically correct.

NP Comic Tuesday January 11, 2022 Secret Squirrel Hmm, more than cuddles? She is a weird hybrid, maybe puberty happens later?